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More 3-D films coming

With better 3-D quality than ever before, more 3-D films are on the slate to be issued.

Katzenberg, though, is evangelising about a brave new world of digital 3D – one with no need for Nurofen hand-outs at the door, and whose images are crisp and bright enough to take your breath away. As well as expanding its horizons with the wrap-around effect of Imax screens, the cinema of the future will push depth of field beyond anything previously experienced. And the only snag? You’ll still need specs to see it.

This 3D comeback has been creeping up on us, thanks to advances in digital projection, the popularity of the huge Imax screens (of which there are now around 300 across the world), and new levels of expertise in computer animation.

They say, Love movies, that this whole “digital” thing is going to be the “end all be all”. I always have, and always will prefer good old 35mm to anything. And yes they can call me old fashioned, but I have been running it for almost 33 years, and as my dear old father used to say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

Properly projected double system polarized 3-D – the way every songle one of the golden age films from the 50s were made and shown (the article linked above is hideously incorrect about the process) is not “bad”. LIM – you must not have ever seen one.

We should remember that no matter what the technology, if the story isn’t engaging, it won’t sell. Remember a few years back when Zemeckis' “Polar Express” in IMAX 3D was the BIG thing with its state-of-the-art motion capture techniques? The movie was a bore and the characters behaved not much more than animated zombies. It wasn’t much of a box office or critical success.

Perhaps the often discussed Digital 3D versions of older films such as “Star Wars” saga, the “LOTR” trilogy, etc, etc would bring in new fans and breathe new life into them.

Lionsgate recently announced they are starting production on a remake that 1980’s chestnut “My Bloody Valentine” to be filmed in Digital 3-D and which will be called (surprise, surprise) “My Bloody Valentine 3-D”.

Oh, man. Even concert movies are going 3d with the success of Hanna Montana, which is the highest grossing 3d film of all time. I would love to see something original and in 3d, not some remake or sequel or something based on a book.

I hope you’ll get a chance as most of them look exceptionally good if the projection is correct. I’ll be showing some again – probably next year – at the Lafayette in Suffern. I imagine there will also be a third World 3D Expo in LA at some point.

The article finally gets it accurate about two interlocked projectors being used in the fifties, but then totally screws up the facts by saying the glasses were red and blue/green. What are they referring to – the 3 Lippert shorts or the handful of Dan Sonney burlesque films?

Why wouldn’t it be great to see Star Wars & LOTR in 3D Digital? Imagine being smack right in the ‘middle’ of either the battles in space of SW or the battle at Helms Deep in LOTR?

Let’s not be cynical here. If it works and brings people to the movies, then more will come. As posted earlier, Hanna Montana did terrific business and you can bet your dollar that there will be more 3D concerts to come.